The Journey
by Cameo13
Summary: When Dr. Mike's sister falls ill in a foreign land, she and Sully travel to help her, but meet many dangers along the way.
1. The Patient

**The Journey**

_This Story takes place after the final DQ Movie._

**Chapter 1 – The Patient**

Dr. Mike was upstairs, gathering the linens from the bed in one of her recovery rooms. Mrs. Simmons had spent the night for observation after breaking her leg the day before. Dr. Mike had set and casted it for her, and provided her with a set of crutches to help her around for the next 2 months while her leg healed.

While she worked, she found herself glancing up at the new picture adorning the wall. It was a hand drawn picture that Rebecca had sent from the remote island of Jamaica. It featured colorfully dressed women balancing baskets of fruit on their heads, with turquoise water in the background and strangely shaped trees. It certainly bespoke of an altogether foreign land, but she had thought it perfect for her recovery room and written to Rebecca to request additional paintings and drawings from her travels. Not only did the painting brighten up the room, but it gave the patient something to hopefully dream about a bit and occupy their mind while they recovered.

It seemed that strong minded women running off on mad adventures ran in the Quinn family after all. Rebecca's husband had passed away not long after their mother, but with all of her children grown, and her parents and husband deceased, instead of properly donning her mourning clothes and sitting docilely at home waiting for her own time to come as society deemed she should have, Rebecca had decided to travel and go see the world. She had seen the West when she had come to visit Michaela and much of Europe in her younger years, but she wanted to see more. She had met some other "interesting" ladies through Marjorie and just managed to convince one of them, a single lady about her own age named Emma, to go along with her as her traveling companion.

And then came the letters and drawings, each new locale more foreign and interesting than the last. There was a health resort in the mountains of North Carolina, a seaside village in Northern Florida, and now it seemed they had found themselves on a ship which had taken them to the isle of Jamaica. Rebecca wrote of all sorts of new and interesting foods and customs, although apparently the place was actually quite civilized. The small city they were staying in was apparently a bustling port.

Michaela smiled as she thought of her sister. Rebecca had really been the only one other than her father to support Michaela's unorthodox life choices, and she had always suspected it was because Rebecca hadn't been truly happy following that path which had been set out for her, and thus, she lived vicariously through her youngest sister's antics. Michaela was glad that her older sister was enjoying herself. She seemed to find Emma a very agreeable traveling companion and she was truly enjoying learning and expanding her view of the world. Michaela found herself getting her own little thrill of excitement every time one of Rebecca's letters or drawings arrived in the mail, although she herself had had enough adventure for a lifetime and was quite content with her friends and her career, and of course her family.

She heard the bell over her door tinkle and she began to head downstairs with her arms full of laundry to see who had come in. She heard footsteps heading towards the stairs, starting up towards her.

"Hello?" she called out.

"Hey there," her husband greeted her, blocking the stairwell.

"I was just heading down with this laundry," she explained over the top of the heap in her arms.

"That's funny, I was just headin' up to see ya," he replied, still blocking her path.

"Sully," she gave him a look. "I have work to do. I have to set these out for Mrs. Jenkins to pick up in the morning, and theres a new shipment in from Denver I need to put away. Plus, I have patient appointments all afternoon."

"You got a patient right now," he grinned at her again.

"There's someone downstairs?" she asked, trying again to squeeze by him.

"No, you got a patient right here," he pointed at himself, grinning.

"Oh yes?" she eyed him, her arms still full of laundry. "And what seems to be the problem?"

"I think you call it melancholia. I've been feelin' awful down." He was clearly hiding a grin.

"Have you?" Michaela answered somewhat dryly, slightly annoyed that he was holding her up.

"I have. Might be because I barely seen my wife in the last two days," he replied. "Or it could be somethin' else. Maybe you'd better examine me."

"Sully, you're perfectly fine. I'll be home tonight."

"Is it catchin'?" he asked. "Cause you don't look so great yourself, Doc. Maybe you ought to get undressed and let me have a look," he started gently herding her back towards the recovery rooms.

"Sully! We can't do this here! A patient could come in at any moment," Michaela chastised. "Tonight?"

"Nah, ain't no other patients comin'. Closed sign is out. Door's locked."

"Sully!" Michael chastised again, but was silenced as he backed her into a wall and pressed his lips up against hers. Her willpower dissolved and the pile of laundry dropped to the floor as he kissed her soundly and wound his fingers into her hair. He reached under her then and swept her up into his arms and carried her into the newly refreshened recovery room, his lips never leaving hers. He placed her onto the bed and smiled down at her before throwing his shirt and belt to the floor and sitting down next to her, starting to undo the buttons on her blouse.

"Sully..."she protested again, much more meekly this time. Her conscience was telling her that she really ought to finish with the laundry and get everything put away before her first patient arrived that afternoon, but his lips felt so good as he kissed his way down her neck. He pressed his lips to hers again as he worked to help her out of her blouse before moving on to her belt.

She rain her fingers through his hair and over his arms and chest, unable to stop herself from giving in to the desire she felt for him. Her skirt and underclothes soon joined his clothing on the floor as he began kissing ever inch of her.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered to her, running his hand over her breast, his eyes never leaving hers. "Sometimes I can't help myself."

She couldn't help but smile then and closed her eyes as he moved between her legs to join with her. It felt so good to be one with him, even after several years of marriage she couldn't imagine ever not wanting to be with him this way. She savored every moment as they both found their release and lay sweating slightly in each others arms, curled together on the tiny recovery bed.

Suddenly a frantic knocking sounded from the first floor. Michaela shot bolt upright, clutching the blanket at the bottom of the bed to her chest, as if whoever was at the door could see through walls and ceilings. She quickly turned beat red and gave Sully a wide eyed look, leaping from the bed, and struggling franticly to find shoes, stockings, chemise, and more in the pile of clothing that had been created.

By the time she had found her underclothes, Sully already had his buckskins on and was on his way downstairs, pulling his shirt over his head. He opened the door to find Horace standing there, about to knock again.

"Sully..." Horace noticed Sully's untucked shirt, and the fact that his customary beads and belt were missing and reddened a bit, guessing at what had been going on upstairs at the clinic. "Uh...sorry to bother ya," he stammered. "This telegram's come. It's from about Dr. Mike's sister. I think it's pretty important."

"Thanks Horace," Sully said, shaking his hand. He went back inside, shutting the door, just as his wife came hurrying down the stairs, dressed, but hair still a bit mussed.

"It's a telegram from Rebecca," Sully handed it to her.

Dr. Mike took it and began to read.

_ To: Dr. Michaela Quinn, Colorado Springs, CO_

_ From: Miss Emma Washington, Kingston, Jamaica_

_ Rebecca very ill. _Stop. _Fever. _Stop. Nausea.Stop._ Alternates betweens sweats and chills. _Stop._ Quinine does not seem to help much. _Stop._ Very few doctors on island. _Stop._ Please advise. _Stop.

Michaela blanched when she read the letter. It sounded as if her sister had contracted Malaria, but if the quinine was not helping, that was not a good sign.

"What is it?" Sully asked, placing his hand on the small of her back.

"She's ill," Michaela said, worried. "It sounds like Malaria, but the quinine's not helping. Her friend, Emma, wrote asking for advice. Apparently there aren't many doctors on the island.

"What about the Cheyenne tea?" Sully asked. "Maybe that could help where the quinine doesn't?"

"It might," Dr. Mike said. Deep in thought now, she began pacing back and forth.

Sully caught her after about 5 minutes of pacing, "Michaela, you're gonna wear a hole in the floor."

"I feel so helpless," she looked up at him, the tears that had been threatening to fall finally spilling out. " It's only been a year since we lost mother and Rebecca was really the only one besides father who supported me. I just couldn't bare to lose her, too. If I was there, I could help her, but she's so far away. The purple cone flower for the tea probably doesn't even grow there."

He drew her to him then, "Well what if we brought it to her? Along with any other medicines she might need?"

"To Kingston?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah. I mean, if you think it would improve her chances, then we should go."

"It's a long trip, though. We'd have to take a ship, and Katie..." Dr. Mike trailed off, the wheels in her head turning now.

"Maybe it would do Katie some good to see more of the world first hand," Sully said. "Besides, I don't think you're gonna be able to stand just sitting here in Colorado Springs waitin' for news. We could catch tomorrow's train and be on the East Coast by the end of the week. We could have Horace book us passage on a ship from here."

"Yes," Dr. Mike said, looking more hopefully now. "We could probably make it there in less than a month. Yes, I think I need to try."

"Alright," Sully said. "You finish up with your patients this afternoon. I'll go see Horace about those tickets."

Dr. Mike had picked up a hanky and used it to wipe her face, "Thank you, Sully."


	2. The Preparations

**Chapter 2 – The Preparations**

Sully left the clinic and headed straight over to see Horace. Horace agreed to research the fastest way for them to reach Rebecca and let him know that afternoon.

Just as he was leaving, Sully spied a very put-out looking Martha Smith marching a very muddy Katie towards the clinic. Martha was 15 now, and one of the older girls in the schoolhouse and she did not looking happy to be escorting a very muddy 8 year old.

Sully hurried over to intercept them, knowing Michaela had a lot of get done before they left.

"What happened here?" he asked.

"She fell," Martha stated. "Down by the creek." She dropped Katie's hand, clearly anxious to get away and wash the mud off of her own. "Mrs. Slicker asked me to bring her up to her ma. She said Katie isn't allowed back into the classroom all muddy."

"I see," Sully said, trying very hard to look stern. It was difficult to keep from smiling through, considering his daughter looked exactly like a miniature version of her mother the very first time he had seen her, face down in a muddy field, especially when she looked up at him, slightly embarrassed, but still with that familiar and very stubborn look in her eye, as if daring anyone to make fun of her. "Well, I'll take care of her. Her ma's pretty busy with patients today."

Martha nodded and gratefully headed back to the schoolhouse. Sully lead his daughter over to the bench behind the clinic. She really was absolutely covered in mud from head to toe. He untucked his shirt and used it to wipe some of the brown muck away from her face.

"Now, it's only the first week of school, Kates," he said. "You know you're not supposed to be playin' down by the creek during school hours. I'm not sure if this dress is ever gonna come clean. Plus, now you're gonna miss the whole afternoon."

Katie stood in front of him, toeing at the ground.

"Well?" he asked. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I _had _to go, Papa," she said in a quite, but firm voice.

"I can't think 'o any reason why you _had_ to go down to the creek during recess," Sully replied.

She was quiet for a moment. "I had to prove to Jimmy Foster that I can fish just as good as him," she spewed in a rush. "I told him how Brian was going to take me fishin' after school and he said that would be a waste of time 'cause girls can't catch fish, but that's not true! You and Brian take me fishin' _all _the time and sometimes Mama even comes and sometimes I even catch the biggest one. Mama _always _says that girls can do anything they put their minds to and I told him so, but then he told me that he catches fish with his bare hands and told me that a silly little girl could never do _that_, so I had to go down and show him that I could!"

Sully had to turn around for a moment to get his grin under control. The stubborn look on her face was pure Michaela.

"Kates," he took a deep breathe, pulling her onto his lap, heedless of the mud. "First of all, Mrs. Slicker says ya ain't allowed down to the creek during recess. You broke the rule, and for that you're gonna have to be punished." He struggled though, to think of a suitable punishment, considering they were planning to leave town tomorrow. "Uh...so...I'm gonna tell Brian ya aren't allowed to go fishin' with him this afternoon." Katie didn't need to know that he had been intending to cancel the trip anyway so they could pack.

"Aw, Pa!" she pouted.

"Well, maybe you'll think of that the next time you wanna break one of the rules at school," Sully answered.

"Second of all, why is this Jimmy Foster so important that you feel you gotta prove yourself to him?"

"It's not _him_, Pa," Katie explained. "It's what he _said._ So many ladies don't seem ta _do_ nothin' all day, but Ma and Colleen are smart and pretty and they've done all sorts of stuff and Ma said not to let anyone tell me I can't do somethin' cause I'm girl. I wanna be like Ma and Colleen when I grow up, and do excitin' things so I just _had_ to show him that I can fish as well as any boy. Otherwise, I might turn into those prissy ladies who never do anythin' fun." Katie sounded more like her father when she started talking too fast.

"Kates," Sully tried again, thinking Michaela had perhaps instilled some things a bit _too_ well in their daughter. "When your Ma tells you that, she ain't tellin' ya to go running off to do everything anyone tells ya you can't do, just to prove them wrong. She's tellin' ya not to stop doin' something you already like doin' just because someone says you shouldn't or can't. She's tellin' ya that you can be whatever you wanna be when you grown up, even if some folks think you shouldn't do certain things because you're a girl. It don't mean that you gotta go around provin' yourself to everyone."

Katie nodded, trying to take this in.

"And one thing your Ma and Colleen are, is smart. So if you wanna be like them when you grow up, you need to be smart, too. Now it sounds to me like this boy mighta outsmarted you here."

Katie looked up at him, horrified.

Sully thought for a minute, "What would you think if some fella told your Ma that ladies weren't strong enough to wrestle grizzly bears, and then she decided run off and try it just to prove him wrong?"

"That's silly, Papa," Katie smiled a little. "Ain't no one could wrestle a grizzly, not even you."

Sully smiled, "Well, how do you know that Jimmy Foster can catch a fish with his bare hands?"

"Uh..." Katie looked up at him, understanding dawning on her.

"Seems to me that Jimmy Foster mighta been tellin' a tall tale himself. Yet, you were the one who decided ya had somethin' ta prove. So now you're sittin' here with me covered in mud and missin' out on your fishin' trip this afternoon and he's warm and dry, and finishing out his school day."

Katie looked distressed now and Sully saw tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Aw, Kates," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

"I feel so stupid," she cried.

"Hey now," he whispered, wiping her tears. "Everyone does somethin' stupid now and then. Even your 'Ma." He rubbed her back until the tears subsided and then proceeded to carry her over to his horse and help her up in front of him. He knew that riding horseback instead of in the wagon was a bit of a treat for her, which she probably shouldn't be getting, but he wanted to leave the wagon in case Michaela needed it.

2 hours later, both father and daughter were cleaned up and in fresh clothes. While getting her changed, Sully had told her that she would not have to worry about Jimmy Foster for the next couple of months, because she would be taking a trip with her parents instead. He got Michaela's traveling trunks out of the barn and then headed out with Katie riding in front of him to go see Matthew, with Katie begging to take the reins.

By late afternoon, that had arrived back in town, just as school was letting out. Sully sent Katie to go wait at the clinic while he headed over to speak with Horace.

"Well, any news?" he asked the telegraph operator.

"Yep," Horace said. "There's a steamship, the S.S. Lady Elizabeth, leaving for the islands next Monday, right outta Boston. She mostly takes cargo, but she does have several passenger cabins as well . Only got first class left though, and that's $195. The other thing is that the train don't get in to Boston until late Sunday night. That don't leave ya much time. Next ship I found that'll take passengers is a sailing ship outta Philadelphia. That don't leave until the 20th and it'll only cost ya $120."

Sully knew that Dr. Mike wanted to reach her sister as soon as possible, "I guess we'd better take that steamship then. I'll go over to the bank and get ya the money."

"Are ya sure?" Horace asked, as that was a rather enormous sum.

"Yeah," Sully said. "It'll be OK. Her Ma left us some money we been saving for emergencies, and I know Dr. Mike wants to be there for her sister." He left and headed over to the bank to retrieve the funds.

Later that night, the homestead was in a whirlwind, and Sully was grateful when Matthew arrived so Sully could make sure he and Brian knew where everything they needed would be to tend to the animals while they were gone. He left Michaela to her piles of everything from medicines to dresses and underthings, having already laid out a few clean shirts and a spare pair of buckskins.

He cautiously returned to the house near midnight, hoping she would have sorted everything out, but found the trunks still half packed, and her medical bag and surgical kit laid out on the bed, with his wife standing in the middle of the room, holding a ballgown in front of her.

He looked at the assorted medical supplies sitting on their bed, "I don't fancy sleepin' next to that bone saw," he said, trying to bring a bit of levity to the situation.

Michaela sighed, dropping the dress on the bed and running her fingers through her hair, "I'm just not sure what to bring. Rebecca said it was extremely hot there, and parts of it sound much like Colorado Springs, but we will be spending the night in Boston with Claudette and her family, and possibly a visit on our way back. Plus, it's September and it will probably be cold out on the water. I don't want Katie coming down with something because I didn't pack enough warm clothes..."

Sully walked up behind her, gently massaging her shoulders. He remembered how she'd been when she'd had to rush off to Boston when her mother became ill. She seemed to focus her stress on packing to distract her from what was really upsetting her.

"Here, sit down." he lead her gently over to the bed, gently picking up the ballgown. "Let me help. He walked over to the trunk and pulled another ballgown and her leather duster off of the top. The bottom of the trunk was mostly filled with underthings. "Ya got enough underthings in her?" he asked.

"Yes, I think so," she said, calmer now.

Sully gingerly plucked a corset from the top of the pile, "You really need to bring a corset along?" he asked, knowing she couldn't move properly in one of those things.

"Well, as I said, we may spend a few days in Boston when we all return."

He sighed, and pushed the contraption back into the trunk. "Well, what about clothes for this island then? I think your normal stuff you wear here should be just fine. A few of your Summer shirts?"

She nodded and helped him to gather a few of her lighter weight blouses and skirts into the trunk. Eventually, they added warm shawls for her and Katie, two of her nicer dresses, along with one fancy that Katie had not yet grown out of, her large brimmed hat for the sun, and added his few items to the top of one of the trunks. They sorted out her medical supplies, and finally collapsed into bed just before 2AM.


	3. The Train

**Chapter 3 – The Train**

Michaela, Sully, and Katie arrived in town fairly early the next morning to meet the train. Michaela was sporting her maroon velvet traveling costume and a smart hat, and Katie had on one of her best dresses. Michaela first stopped in to the telegraph office and wired Emma that she was on her way to meet them in Kingston. She then sent a telegraph to Maureen and Claudette in Boston to let them know when they would be arriving, asking if one of them might be able to meet them at the station and take the family in overnight, even though she was sure both sisters would think she and her family were on a fool's errand.

Meanwhile, Sully stopped in at the bank again to withdrawal some additional funds for their trip. Mr. Thomas, the new banker in town, was much more personable and downright honest that Mr. Preston Lodge III, had ever been, and wished them a successful trip.

Soon it was time to board the train, and so they did, waving goodbye to friends and family as it pulled away from the station. Sully opened the door to their compartment and ushered his wife and daughter into the small train cabin that would be their home for the next few days. The cabin contained two long bench seats, which faced each other, and two bunks which could be lowered from the wall, to create sleeping space for up to four people. There was a fairly plush carpet, space for Michaela's small bag under the seat, and a large, curtained window to watch the scenery go by.

A few hours later, the excitement had worn off and Katie was dozing in Michaela's arms, while she tried to read a book entitled _Diseases of the Tropics,_ over her daughter's prone form. Sully was also dozing in the seat across from them as it had been a rather late night.

Suddenly, they heard the breaks squealing and Michaela's book went flying into Sully's knees as she dropped to grip their sleeping daughter tight against her she she did not roll onto the floor. The train was coming to a very rapid stop. Both Michaela and Sully pushed back the curtains to try to see what might be going on.

Just then, about a dozen men rode over the ridge to the left of the train, firing off guns into the air.

Michaela and Sully turned to each other, both fearing for the safety of their daughter most of all. Sully quickly stood up, nodding to the pull down bunk above where his wife an daughter were sitting. "We can hide her in there," he pointed out.

Michaela nodded, and unlatched the bunk, "Come on sweetheart, you need to hide," she said urging her daughter to get up into the bunk and lay flat.

"Mama! What's happening?" she looked back at Michaela, with large fearful eyes.

"Well, it looks like the train's about to be robbed," Michaela spoke calmly and honestly. "But you'll be perfectly safe in here. They only want money. Get up now."

"What about you and Papa?"

"We'll be fine," Michaela assured her. "This is just an extra precaution."

"I think you can fit, too," Sully pointed out to her.

Michaela turned to him, her eyes speaking volumes, telling him she didn't want to leave him alone in this dangerous situation.

"Katie'll feel better if you're with her," Sully urged. "Besides, I don't look like I have much. I throw 'em a couple a dollars and they'll leave me alone. You look like someone with money in that get up."

Michaela swallowed and nodded, hating leaving Sully, but knowing Sully was right that Katie would feel much better with her mother close. She hoisted herself up into the bunk and positioned herself over her daughter, "I love you. Be careful," she whispered to Sully as he hefted the bunk back into place and secured the latch, hoping it would hold their weight.

It was just in time as they heard doors slamming open and then an announcement from the corridor, "Come out slowly, with your hands up, an' bring your money bags and jewelry. We don' wanna shoot no one, but we will if ya don't co-operate!"

Michaela held her daughter tightly, as Katie whimpered in fear, "Shhhh...it'll be alright. We just need to be brave and stay quiet," she whispered.

She knew that the robbers just wanted their valuables, and as long as no one tried to fight back, they would leave soon. She heard the door to their compartment slide open and prayed that Sully would not have any trouble. She heard voices, but couldn't make them out, and then more clearly, the man yelling again for passengers to open their doors and come out. All was quiet for a few moments and Michaela could hear only her own heartbeat and the breathing of herself and her daughter, squeezed together into the tiny space. Then, there was the loud bang of a gunshot, followed by the thump of a body hitting the floor and Michaela instinctively squeezed her daughter tight as she felt icy terror coursing through her veins, knowing Sully was out there.

Sully slowly slid the door open, hands raised in front of him, and took in the scene before him. 2 middle aged gentlemen in fine woolen suits peered from one of the other compartments, a couple who looked to be in their 50's looked on frightfully from a second, and the other 3 doors remained closed. 2 men with guns stood in the corridor, bandanas covering their faces.

One of the men looked him up and down, "What're you, some kinda half breed?" he asked.

Sully remained silent.

"Well, don't matter, I suppose your money'll spend just the same. Give it here!"

Sully handed him the few dollars he had, glad their rest of their valuables were secured inside the bunk with his family.

The robber looked disgusted that was all he had and peered around the door, but seemed satisfied that there was nothing and no one else in his cabin.

He went on to bang on the cabin door across the hallway, "I said ya'd best come out if you don't wanna get hurt!"

He slid the door open then, but found that compartment to be empty. His partner had moved on to the two middle compartments and relived the gentlemen of their watches and billfolds. He moved on to the couple next and the woman sobbed a she was forced to give up her wedding ring, and an expensive looking brooch, her husband standing helplessly beside her, handing over his billfold.

The first robber had moved on to the last two compartments, banging on each door and threatening to shoot anyone who didn't cooperate and come out. He slid the first door open, finding another empty compartment, but smiled greedily as he forced the 2nd door.

"Well, what do we have here?" He roughly yanked a rather stunning young lady who looked to be a bit youger than Colleen out of the cabin. Her long blond hair cacaded down her back in waves and she wore a smart traveling suit similar to Dr. Mike's, with a small hat perched on her head.

"Let go of me!" she demanded, shaking her arm free and standing tall.

"This one's awful pretty," the gunman said to his partner, leering at her. "Fiesty too. I say we take take 'er wth us. Can't hurt to have a hostage."

Sully was watching the situation very closely. He knew he did not stand much chance against two armed men, but he also knew he could not stand by and let them take this young lady hostage, knowing what they might do to her. She could have very well been Colleen.

The gunman wrapped his arm around the young woman's waist, pulling her against him.

Suddenly, everything happened at once. A shot rang out and the gunman staggered backwards, clutching his hands to his stomach.

The second robber turned and brought his gun up to aim at the young woman, who Sully could now see had been holding a small, pearl handled pistol in her skirts.

Sully quickly pulled out his tomahawk and sent it sailing down the corridor, only a few inches from the nose of the older aged woman from the middle cabin, who promptly fainted dead away, slumping to the floor in front of her husband, who was too stunned to catch her.

His weapon slammed into the wrist of the second robber, who howled and dropped his gun. Sully raced down the corridor, vaulting over the prone form of the fainted lady, and tackled the second robber, sending them both to the floor on top of his bleeding partner. The robber was struggling and reaching around for his gun, his wrist bleeding, where Sully's tomahawk had sliced into it, but Sully's fist collided with his face and he slumped into unconsciousness.

When he looked up, he saw the young woman holding her own pistol, as well as those of the two robbers. The corridor looked like a sea of bodies with 3 people unconscious on the floor, two of which were bleeding heavily.

"Better get something to tie them up," the young woman said as Sully eased himself from atop the two unconscious robbers. He nodded and hurried into her cabin to pull the down the curtain ties.

"You OK, miss...?" he asked.

"My name's Florence," she said, visibly shaken and waiving the pistols around a bit.

"I'm sure you kin put those down now," Sully said gently, indicating the multiple pistols she held.

She nodded and moved into her cabin to lay them on the seat, while Sully tied the second robber's hands with the curtain ties.

"My wife needs a doctor!" the man in the center of the cabin, a Mr. Biddle, sobbed. "She's bleeding!" The woman was still unconscious and had apparently hit her head on the floor when she fell.

"My wife's a doctor," Sully assured him as he once again stepped over the fallen woman and hurried back to his own cabin, knowing Michaela and Katie were probably terrified.

Mr. Biddle responded with an incredulous look, expecting no further assistance from this crazed savage who had near sliced his dear wife's nose off.

Sully grabbed the latch holding the bunk upright and tried to lower it carefully, but both wife and daughter came tumbling into his arms, sending the whole family sprawling backwards into a heap on the floor.


	4. The Student

**Chapter 4 – The Student **

"Sully!" Michaela wanted to throw her arms around his neck in relief that he was OK, but Katie was sitting on his chest blinking in the sudden bright light.

"What happened, Papa?" Katie asked.

"There's some folks in the corridor that need a doctor," Sully replied, looking into Michaela's eyes apologetically from his position on the floor next to her, knowing how frightened she must have been for his safety when she heard the gunshots. "I'll stay with Katie."

Michaela forced her own emotions aside and reached under the seat for her medical bag. She grabbed it and poked her head out into the corridor. What she saw left her stunned. A woman was lying unconscious in the middle of the corridor, and two men were lying in a heap near the end of the train car, both bleeding heavily.

Michaela came first to the woman, who's husband knelt beside her, "What happened to her?" she asked gently.

Mr. Biddle was in shock. Somehow, the savage had managed to produce this well dressed, attractive woman from his seemingly empty compartment. "She fainted when that...er...your..._injun _threw his uh...axe. He darn near cut off her nose with that thing!" he sputtered ungratefully.

The woman sighed and reached into what looked to be a medical bag. She produced a small vial of smelling salts and handed them to him, telling him to waive them under this wife's nose before hurrying down the corridor to where the two more serious patients where lying. Mr. Biddle was insulted. If this woman was some kind of a doctor or more likely, a nurse, she seemed to be more concerned about the men who had robbed them than she was about his wife! She hadn't even looked at the heavily bleeding cut on the side of his wife's head.

He carefully unscrewed the lid on the vial and sniffed it cautiously himself, confirming the contents, before waiving it under his wife's nose. She came to almost immediately and struggled to sit up.

After noting that there appeared to be no damage aside from a very minor cut on the woman's head, and handing her husband some smelling salts, Michaela hurried down the corridor to tend to the more serious patients. She found one man who was bleeding profusely where Sully's tomahawk had sliced his wrist. The other had blood flowing from a bullet wound to the chest. She pulled a heavy cloth out of her medical bag and motioned to the beautiful young lady who was standing in the doorway, looking both fascinated and somewhat horrified.

"Can you help me?" she asked

The young lady nodded mutely and took the cloth.

"I need you to use it to put pressure, here," she showed her.

The young woman did as she was told while Michaela pulled out scissors and clamps and began to stitch up the wound in the other man's wrist. He stirred slightly as she did, but she was quick to administer chloroform.

"What's your name?" she asked the young lady as she worked.

"Florence," she replied. "Florence Stark. Is he going to live?" she asked of the man she had shot.

"I don't know," Michaela replied. "He's lost some blood and I'm going to have to remove that bullet. I can't tell yet what internal damage he might have, and there's always the chance of infection."

"I...I'm the one who shot him," she replied.

"I see," Michaela said. "I'm guessing you did so in self defense?"

"Yes, ma'am," she said quietly, watching her as she worked. "You're a real doctor?" She asked after a moment.

Michaela had been asked this question probably over a thousand times since obtaining her medical degree. Most times she still found herself bristling a bit, but this girl seem to be asking more in awe than in questioning her credentials. "Yes, I am," she replied as she finished her suturing. "And we're going to need to take that bullet out." She turned now to the patient the young woman next to her had shot. He was still unconscious. She reached into her bag and pulled out the necessary instruments. She knew the man would be better off if she had a proper facility to perform the operation, but unfortunately for him, a train car floor in the middle of nowhere would have to do. She assessed Florence for a moment, who had watched her stitch the first man up with seeming fascination.

"Do you think you can help me?" she asked.

"Sure," Florence stated without hesitating.

Michaela quickly explained the names of the instruments and instructed Florence to hand them to her as needed, while administering chloroform, should their patient decide to wake up. Florence was quite good and remembered the names of each instrument, carefully handing them to Michaela as she needed them. It did not take long to remove the bullet, which had not hit any major organs. The patient was then bandaged and left to lay on the floor for lack of a better place to put him at the moment.

Michaela then returned to her own compartment, her nice velour traveling suit now unfortunately stained with blood that would probably never come out. She poked her head in, and her daughter reached out for her from Sully's arms.

"I'm sorry, Katie, I had a bit of stitching up to do and I'm a bit of a mess right now. I think I'd better check the rest of the train to see if anyone else is injured."

"You shouldn't go wandering the train by yourself," Sully suggested, not loving the idea, even though it seemed clear that the bandits had gone and left their injured companions behind.

"I'll go with her," Florence's voice piped up from behind Michaela.

"I'll be fine," Michaela said firmly, and Sully knew there was little use in arguing.

Michaela moved through the train, with Florence following after, inquiring after the occupants, receiving strange looks from some and grateful thank you's from others. It seemed there had been no major issues in the other cars. When she got to the engine compartment, she found that one of the engineers had been killed. The other was already out with some of the other men, working to move the large pile of logs which had been placed across the tracks to force the train to stop. So far, they had only managed to move 2 of what looked to be at least a dozen logs off to the side. Michaela's heart sank knowing they would be lucky now to reach Boston before their ship departed. She and Florence headed back to their car, chatting a bit.

"Where are you headed?" she asked Florence.

"Boston," the young lady smiled, a bit wistfully. "I'm going to study at Wellesley College."

"Really?" Michaela grinned. "What will you be studying?"

"Biology or Botany," she said, looking excited. "I'm just fascinated by living things. I'd like to do research when I graduate. Maybe write books, or teach. Maybe even come back out West."

"That sounds wonderful," Michaela smiled. "There aren't too many women in those fields either."

"No..." Florence said. "My Pa wouldn't have approved..."

"Wouldn't have?" Michaela asked gently.

"He passed on last year. It was just the two of us, so he left me his whole farm, but it was just too much to handle on my own. He'd hoped I'd marry before he passed. He wanted to leave the farm to me and a husband, but that just didn't work out. I suppose I was too..." she trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Smart?" Michaela interjected.

Florence giggled and Michaela looped her arm through the younger girl's. "I know how that is!" she smiled understandingly. "When I was a young girl, I'd dance with a boy once or twice, but as soon as they asked me about my day and I started talking about watching my father in surgery instead of teas or needlepoint, that was pretty much it."

"Yes, I suppose I never had any shortage of boys to dance with. They all tell me I'm pretty," the younger girl blushed. "But they never seemed to care much about who I really was. They always made me feel like I was just some sort of flower or something. They'd always want to stare at me, or kiss me, but they never cared to get to know me. I don't supposed I'll ever get married."

"Not all men are like that," Michaela said gently. "You just need to meet someone that's right for you – who appreciates you for who you are."

"That man...he's your husband?" Florence asked.

"Yes," Michaela couldn't help but smile.

"And he don't mind you working as a doctor?"

"Well, we had a few rather heated discussions about money in the beginning, but no, he appreciates that it's part of who I am," Michaela smiled again

They had reached their train car now and Michaela noticed Florence looking trepidaciously at the two tied up men, laying on the floor outside of her compartment.

"Why don't you stay with us?" Michaela asked her. "We have an extra bunk, and we can lock the outlaws in your old cabin until we can get a marshall.

Florence smiled and nodded, gratefully followed Michaela into her cabin, where they found Sully helplessly trying to explain to Katie why some people chose to become train robbers,

"Sully, Katie, this is is Florence. I've offered her the extra bunk in our compartment for the remainder of the trip.

"Hi, Florence!" Katie jumped off of Sully's lap cheerily.

"Hi there, Katie," Florence responded with a smile.

Michaela explained to her family that it would be awhile yet before they would be on their way and Sully decided to go outside to help the men clear the tracks, leaving the ladies to a lively discussion on biology, with an ever-curious Katie piping up with all sorts of questions, and Michaela stepping out every hour or so to check on her patients.

The bandits had awakened, but were tied securely and in no condition to be much of a threat. Their wounds seemed to be on their way towards healing. The car was quiet, and it seemed everyone else had retreated to their own compartments, including the disagreeable Mr. Biddle.

It was a few more hours before a tired, dirty Sully returned to the compartment to let them know that they would be on their way again shortly, but that the train would be stopping in Kansas City to meet with the marshall and give a report as to what had happened.

The crowd in the dining car that night was sparse and subdued, the murdered engineer and stolen belongings weighing heavily on everyone's mind.

It was after midnight and everyone was dozing when they finally pulled in to Kansas City and marshals were called to the train. They took the captured bandits into custody and let everyone know that the train would be remaining in Kansas City until late the following morning, when a relief engineer would arrive to take them the remaining distance to Chicago.

"Rebecca..."Michaela whispered softly, her worry increasing now that they would most likely miss their ship.

Sully pulled her gently to him and kissed her softly on the side of her head, "We'll figure something out. Sometimes these ships don't leave right on time if they hear bad weather's comin' or if they have a chance for more cargo. We'll get there somehow."

Michaela nodded, hoping he was right, but hating how helpless she felt at her inability to get the train moving any sooner.

They did continue on the following morning, and continued to enjoy Florence's company on the trip to Chicago and invited her to share their cabin on the next train to Boston as well.


	5. The Arrival

**Chapter 5 – The Arrival**

By the time their arrival in Boston was imminent, it was clear that Florence and Michaela had become fast friends and Michaela promised to visit on her way back to Colorado.

On their last night aboard the train, Sully left the compartment for a few minutes so the ladies could dress. "You're lucky," Florence whispered to Michaela. "I can see he truly loves you for who you are."

Michaela smiled, "Yes. I am. But I don't supposed I would have settled for anything less."

Florence smiled back, a little wistfully, "Doesn't seem easy to find though,"

"No. I don't suppose. We didn't start courting until I was 35. But I know I was much happier by myself than I would have been if I can married someone I didn't love, just because the world frowns on single women."

Florence nodded, understanding completely, but also feeling a bit lonely in the world. She had enjoyed sharing the past few days with Michaela and her family and hoped she would meet other women like herself and make friends once she arrived at the school.

They arrived in Boston just before midnight the following day. Michaela was fidgeting nervously with her medical bag, desperately hoping that something had caused their ship to delay and that it had not departed on schedule earlier that morning.

"Are you sure you'll be OK on your own?" Michaela asked Florence.

"I'll be fine," she assured her. "I'm sure one of the porters will be able to point me towards the nearest hotel." The pair gave a final hug goodbye as the train came to a stop and their group hurried off. Michaela dashed over to the station master's desk, hoping that they would have information available about passenger ships' departures.

"Excuse me?" she asked the mustached gentleman behind the desk, who looked about ready to fall asleep. "Do you know if the SS. Lady Elizabeth departed this morning?"

The man checked his schedule, "Yes Ma'am. Right on time," he replied.

Michaela's heart sank. "When's the next passenger ship departing for Jamaica?" she asked, dreading the answer.

They man flipped through several more pages before finding an answer. "Scheduled for November 2nd, " he answered. "Lady Elizabeth again."

That was nearly two months away.

"There are no other passenger ships until then?" Michaela tried again.

"No, Ma'am," he said again.

"How about out of another city?" Michaela queried. "New York? Philadelphia?"

"Sorry. You'd have to send a telegram to them directly," the man replied.

Michaela turned to Sully, who was holding a sleeping Katie on his hip, "I'd like to send those telegrams tonight," she said.

He nodded, knowing she would not be at peace until she had done all she could to secure them transportation.

The telegrams were sent at once and they moved towards the street to hail a hansom cab to take them to Claudette's home, hoping she had received their telegram and would not be too upset at receiving them at this hour.

As their cab was about to take off down the somewhat empty street, Sully spied Florence exiting from the hotel across from the station and called out to her. She hurried over, followed by a harried looking porter.

"The hotel's all booked for the night," she said, looking distressed.

"Come along with us, then!" Michaela invited at once.

"Are you sure I won't be any trouble?" Florence asked.

"Not at all, " Michaela assured her. "We missed our ship, so we're heading to my sister's house until we can find out if there are any other ship's departing from the East Coast this week." Secretly, Michaela was not at all certain if Claudette had even received the telegram letting her know they were coming, much less an added stranger, but she simply could not allow her young friend to attempt to travel all the way out to the college at this hour, or to spend the night alone in the train station.

20 minutes later, they arrived at Claudette's large brownstone home in Beacon Hill. Michaela gave a sharp knock at the door, which was answered after a few minutes, by a sleepy looking, and slightly disheveled butler, who looked out over the crowd on his his doorstep and recognized his employer's sister, along with her rustically attired husband, sleeping daughter, and another young lady who he thought might be their other daughter, Colleen.

"I apologize for our later arrival," Michaela said. "Our train was delayed. I'm hoping Claudette received my telegram?"

"Yes, madam," the butler replied. "We have prepared rooms for you."

"Thank you. I'm sorry, but I believe I've forgotten your name,"

"Williams," he reminded her.

" Thank you, Williams. Also, this is my friend, Florence," Michaela added. "She traveled with us to attend school and unfortunately there was no room at the hotel this late. We were hoping she could join us here for the night."

"Certainly. I'll show you to your rooms," he stated, and he quickly ushered their party upstairs.

Sully took only a few moments to lay is daughter in her bed, as she barely stirred in his arms, before he went into the room he was to share with Michaela and found her already in her nightgown and sound asleep. Smiling, he gathered her against him and quickly drifted off to sleep himself, as it had been an exhausting couple of days.

The next morning, it was already fully daylight when the couple awoke. They hurriedly dressed, Sully in his customary buckskins, shirt, and belt, and Michaela in a stunning dark green day dress with lace collar and bustle in the back. They checked their daughter's room and found her absent, the bed already made.

On the way downstairs, they quickly agreed to just inform Claudette that the train had experienced a delay, and not get into exactly what had happened, considering it would only result in another lecture about why Michaela should return to "civilization" to raise her family. They knocked at Florence's door and found her all ready for breakfast, and her ensuing trip out to the college, and together, they headed downstairs.

As they hurried into the breakfast room, they heard their daughter's voice just finishing her story, "...but, Pa wouldn't let me leave our compartment. I suppose their musta been a lot of blood!"

Claudette and her two daughters who remained at home were sitting at the table, their mouths all hanging slightly open in the shape of an "o".

"Michaela!" Claudette said hurriedly. "Your daughter's just told us the most ghastly tale. I do hope it isn't true."

Sully pulled out chairs for both Michaela and Florence, before seating himself.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Michaela admitted. "But we're all safe and sound. How are you Victoria? Gertrude?" she asked Claudette's two daughters, in an attempt to change the subject.

"I'm well, ma'am," Victoria answered very politely.

"Hi, Aunt Mike!" Gertrude piped up.

Michaela smiled, "You're coming out must be soon," she said the Victoria, the eldest.

"Yes, Ma'am, next Spring," Victoria smiled. "I am looking forward to it."

"And what are you up to, Gert?" she asked her other niece.

"Her name is Gertrude," Claudette interrupted.

"Of course," Michaela said.

"I've been continuing my painting lessons," she grinned. "Mr. Brown says I've much improved."

"That's wonderful," Michaela smiled politely again. "I took painting when I was about your age, but I fear I didn't have the patience for it."

They were served a round of eggs benedict and Michaela noticed Sully and Katie eying the hollandaise sauce a bit suspiciously, but wisely neither said a word against it.

"So what's this about all of you running off after Rebecca? Claudette asked,

"She's apparently quite ill," Michaela said quietly. "The doctors there don't seem to be able to help her."

"And you can?"

"I helped Mother when she had Hepatitis," Michaela answered.

"Yes," Claudette allowed a small smile to cross her face. "I suppose you did."

The butler entered the room then, "Two telegrams for Dr. Quinn." He presented them on a silver platter.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, taking the telegrams graciously. Her smile quickly became a frown when she read the telegrams. "The next ship out of Philadelphia isn't for almost a month and the same goes for New York."

"Claudette?" she asked. "Would you mind watching Katie for the afternoon? Sully and I need to go see what we can do about obtaining passage to Jamaica."

"Of course, but I don't see what you are going to do about passage if there isn't a ship," she answered.

"There isn't a passenger ship," Michaela pointed out. "But as you, have pointed out on many occasions, my family used to 'roughing it'".

Claudette sighed, "Well, little Katie will be just fine here with us for the afternoon. My girls are having some friends over for tea after they finish their lessons."

"Thank you," Michaela said, hurrying to finish breakfast.

After the meal was over, Katie followed Michaela and Sully back to their room while Michaela picked up a nice chunk of the cash they had brought with them and placed it in her medical bag, which she had taken to carrying instead of a purse.

"Katie, " Michaela sat on the freshly made bed and called her daughter over to her. "We have to go see about passage on another boat, so we need you to be good and do everything your Aunt Claudette says while we're gone. We should be back later this afternoon."

"Yes, Mama," she nodded.

"Katie?" Michaela asked, uncertain how to proceed for a moment.

"Ma?" she smiled back.

"Did you ever hear the phrase 'when in Rome, do what the Romans do?'" she finally asked, remembering a phrase she'd heard her mother use.

"Nope," he daughter answered.

"Well, it means that different places have different cultures and habits, and that when you go to a new place, it's often good to adopt the cultures and habits of the people who live there. Do you understand?"

"I think so..." Katie looked back at her mother.

"Well, for us it means that the people here in Boston tend to behave a bit different than the people in Colorado, but while we're here in Boston, we should try our best to fit in. The folks here maybe aren't used to things like train robberies, or Indians, or even fishing, walks in the woods or swimming," Michaela attempted to explain,

"What do they do all day?" Katie asked, somewhat aghast at the idea of no fishing, tramping through the woods or swimming.

"Well," her mother replied. "Your cousin Victoria is quite a good pianist. And I hear Gertrude is quite adapt at painting. Perhaps she could show you?"

"Alright," Katie said.

"Just try to see what you can learn from your cousins. Try not to look down on them because you might be able to do something they can't, and try not to pay it much mind if you can't do everything they can, OK?"

Katie nodded and allowed herself to be left in the drawing room, in the care of her aunt and cousins, while her parents headed down to the docks.


	6. The Attack

**Chapter 6 – The Attack**

_FYI, I am starting this chapter with a definition you may find useful as you read, if you are unfamiliar with this tool. _

_ An __**adze**__ is a tool used for smoothing or carving __wood__ in hand __woodworking__, similar to an __axe__ but with the head mounted perpendicular to the handle. Two basic forms of an adze are the hand adze, a short handled tool swung with one hand, and a foot adze, a long handled tool capable of powerful swings using both hands - the cutting edge usually striking at foot or shin level. The blade of an adze is set at right angles to the tool's shaft (like a __hoe__ or __plane__), unlike the blade of an __axe__ which is set in line with the shaft. Frequently used in traditional ship building._

That afternoon, Michaela and Sully found themselves on a bright and sunny wharf in Boston harbor. They approached the Harbor Master and asked for any information on ships bound for Jamaica or the nearby Caribbean.

The man pointed out a fairly large, three masted vessel being loaded down with goods which he said was due to leaving the following day, and two smaller schooners down the wharf a bit, and let them know that he thought he had heard tell of another ship around the bend which had been hired to sail for the Cayman Islands, which were in close proximity to Jamaica.

The three masted ship was by far the finest looking of those they could see, with shiny white paint, fine looking woodwork, and crates being hauled aboard. They approached a young boy helping to load sacks of dried beef and asked for the captain.

A large man with a full beard walked forward from the back of the ship, "Aye, I'm Captain Brooks. What can I do fer ya?"

"We're looking to book passage to Jamaica for ourselves and our daughter," Sully replied.

"Sorry, Sir, but we don't take passengers. We're strictly cargo," he said.

"Please," Michaela stepped forward. "My sister's very sick. It's very important that we get there. We can pay good money."

The man thought for a minute, "Well, we might be able to take you, if yer willing to bunk with the crew" he nodded at Sully. "But absolutely no women or children. One hundred dollars."

"Please, I'm a doctor," Michaela insisted. "We were supposed to pay $195 for our family to sail on the Lady Elizabeth. We'll give it to you if you can take us."

"I'm sorry," he said. "It just ain't a place for ladies and children. My men ain't used to passengers and they can be a rough bunch. Plus, we don't have any passenger cabins. I'm sorry ma'am."

"Two twenty-five," Michaela insisted again.

The man looked thoughtful again. That was a lot of money. Finally, he called loudly for his mate, "Mister Jones!"

The aforementioned Mr. Jones hurried over from where he had been directing the barrels be stowed in the hold of the ship. He was a tall man, tanned, and well muscled from his years spent at sea. The two stepped aside for a short conference.

Meanwhile, Michaela opened her medical bag, preparing to show them a handful of bills that she had brought with her, but Sully quickly but his hand on her wrist, and shook his head, "Don't go flashin' that kind of money around here."

She sighed and closed her bag just as Captain Brooks approached the couple.

"We'll take the two of you. No children. You can have Mr. Jones' Cabin, but know that it's very small. You'll have space for one small trunk only and the bed's only really big enough for one," he stated firmly.

"I'm sorry, we can't leave our daughter," Michaela said.

"Well, then you'll have to find yourselves another ship," Captain Brooks said. "We leave with the tide sharply at 11:30 tomorrow if you change your mind." He turned and went back to direct the supplies and cargo being loaded onboard.

Michaela sighed and she and Sully continued down the wharf to see if they would fair any better with the schooners that the dock-master had mentioned.

Unfortunately, they did not. The first schooner was planning to leave within the hour and the captain was not interested in passengers, particularly those he had to wait an extra day for. The second wasn't actually going anywhere near Jamaica, but was instead heading for the West Indies.

The left only the final ship, which the dock-master had indicated was docked somewhere on the next street over, amongst the warehouses.

"Please Sully, let's just try that last one," Michaela begged. "I don't want to have to leave Katie behind."

Sully did not have a good feeling about the area they were headed towards. Far away from the fancy docks where the steamers and fine looking cargo ships came and went, this area was mostly warehouses and shipyards, with some ramshackle dwellings mixed in between, with only smaller fishing boats, or boats that looked like they had been left to rot, but Michaela was insistent on trying this one final option before being forced to decide between leaving her daughter behind in the care of her sister or abandoning their attempt to reach Rebecca.

He followed along, keeping a sharp eye out for anyone who might wish them harm. The sun was getting lower in the sky and much of the light was blocked by the warehouses. The area seemed eriely desserted accept for a barely conscious drunk lying against a nearby building.

They walked quickly and were soon approaching a 2 masted wooden schooner that looked like it had seen better days. The name "Avalon", was scrawled across the back in black paint. The white paint on the rest of the ship was peeling and featured several rust stains where the rigging met the side of the ship.

"Hello?" Michaela called out.

They waited a few minutes before a balding man in a blue checked shirt and dirty, wide legged canvas trousers came on deck from down below.

"Help ye?" he asked, spitting tobacco juice on the ground next to them.

Michaela was suddenly nervous, but tried her best not to show it, or to prejudge this man, "Yes," she began. "I'm told you're heading for the Caribbean soon."

"Yep," he said. "Got something you're lookin' ta ship?"

"Well, we're looking to book passage for ourselves and our daughter," Michaela responded. "We don't need anything fancy," she assured him.

"Don't take passengers," he chawed.

"Are you sure you can't make an exception? We can pay you fairly for our passage," Michaela tried again.

Sully noticed two men come up on deck behind their captain, one of them clutching a heavy belaying pin, and his uneasiness intensified. He put his hand on his wife's elbow, "That's alright," he said to the man. "We're sorry for takin' up your time." He pulled gently at Michaela's arm, not liking the feeling of the situation at all and wanting to get them both out of this section of the docks as soon as possible.

"What you got in that bag?" the Captain asked, pointing to her medical bag.

Two more men suddenly appeared out of a nearby alley, eyeing the couple up.

"That's none of your business, " Michaela stated firmly, sensing Sully's discomfort. "We'll be on our way now." She turned to go, trying hard not to betray her fear.

The couple turned and started walking quickly back the way they had come, but the men from the ally were in a hurry, too and soon blocked their way.

"Excuse us," Michaela said firmly, still hoping that by showing they were not intimated, that the men would let them pass. She hadn't noticed that the three men still on the ship had had hopped over the side and were now approaching them from behind, effectively surrounding the couple.

Sully's hand was already on his tomahawk when the first man reached out and attempted to grab Michaela's bag from her. Sully pushed her through the quickly closing gap in the wall of men surrounding them, "Run!" he yelled to her as he grabbed the man's arm and sent him sprawling.

Michaela turned, and seeing all 5 men closing in on Sully, did the only thing she could to help.

"Hey!" she screamed, waiving her bag in the air. "Is this what you want?!" She took off down the small gap left in the circle, back towards the main docks, hoping she could get there in time to bring help or that some of the men would find her a more appealing target and follow her, thus giving Sully more of a chance of defeating those that remained and coming after her.

Unfortunately, a sixth avesery appeared out of an alleyway up ahead, effectively blocking her path toward the main docks, and forcing her into an alley. She raced downed the narrow street, skirts hiked up and gathered into one hand. The street was lined with ramshackle huts and workshops that mostly seemed abandoned.

"Help!" she screamed, hoping someone would come to their aid. "Please, somebody help us!"

One of the men grabbed Sully from behind, but Sully merely used him for leverage to kick his associate, sending him flailing backwards until he stumbled off the edge of the pier and a loud splash was heard as he hit the murky waters below, but Sully was dismayed to see that instead of joining in the fight, one of the men they had originally spoken to had taken off down the pier after Michaela. Distracted for only a moment, one of the men punched him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him and other immediately hit him from behind with a belaying pin, knocking him to the ground and putting his foot on top of his back.

"Help! Please, somebody help us!" he heard Michaela scream in the distance.

Adrenaline coursed through him as her cry confirmed that she had not gotten away as he had hoped and he twisted away, grabbing the man's foot and ending him to the ground.

"Help!" Michaela cried. She saw one of the small buildings had a open door and she rushed through the it, hoping to find assistance, but she found only a small, empty shack. There was a wooden table, with a few chairs, a small stove, and a filthy looking sleeping pallet in the corner, next to another door. She looked around for anything to use as a weapon, but finding nothing, popped open her medical bag, and quickly shoved their roll of money down the front of her dress. She also removed a small scapel, grasping it firming in her hand, just as the door slammed open and the man entered, approaching her menacingly.

"Heh..." he half laughed, half coughed, grinning to find her somewhat cornered. "So you gonna show me what's in that bag now? Or hows abouts what under them pretty skirts you got on?"

Michaela had been slowly inching towards the back door and she now flung it open, hoping to find a street on the other side, but instead she found only a courtyard, hemmed in by buildings on all sides. She quickly ran to another door and tried it, finding it locked.

The man quickly followed her, backing her up against a wall, "How's about ye gives us a little kiss?" he asked, his breath reeking of tobacco. She shuddered and as he reached for her, she forcefully plunged her little scalpel straight into his arm as she pushed him back with all of her might.

The man howled in pain, cursing and pulling the tiny knife from his arm, but Michaela took off across the small yard, hoping one of the other doors would give, and praying that Sully was alright. The next door gave way and she hurried into the room beyond. It was also empty, with no other doors. She was truly boxed in. She looked around and realized that she appeared to be in a workshop of some kind, and laying on the table in front of her, was a small, sharp, axe.

Michaela's mind instantly flashed back to a cool Spring day earlier that year. She stood in the woods just outside of the homestead. Sully stood beside her, his body pressed against hers, one hand on her hip, the other on her wrist positioning her fingers just so on his tomahawk, then guiding her hand back, while swiveling her hips around just so, laughing, kissing, and practicing until the blade began to perfectly find it mark in the small target he had set up.

Michaela picked up the axe now, just as her adversary threw open the door. She did not hesitate. It was as if her husband was still there, standing against her, one hand on her wrist. The axe hit it's target, embedding itself in the man's upper thigh.

There was no time to think of offering medical care to her would be assailant. Michaela needed to get back to Sully immediately, and help him in any way she could.

Sully was not doing well. The man he had originally knocked into the drink had somehow crawled back out and he was furious. He had finally managed to knock out one of his four assailants, but it had still been three against one and they had finally wrestled him back to the ground, and searched him for cash, of which he had none.

"Kill 'im, and dump 'im in the river before Len decides to keep 'is woman all to 'iself." one of the said impatiently. "She pro'ly has their cash in that fancy bag 'o hers, too."

Sully tried to twist away again, but all three men were holding him down now. He continued to struggle, getting to Michaela the only thought in his mind, knowing they would be after her next. One of them took out a knife and started to move it towards his neck.

"No!" he thought. "Not like this..." he struggled wildly, but one of the men holding him down had to weigh close to 300lbs.

"Michaela!" he couldn't help but scream her name as the thought of her in danger and being unable to help her was tearing his heart out.

Suddenly their came an unearthly screaming and the sound of pounding feet and suddenly, the pressure holding him down lessened. Sully turned his head in shock to see his wife, still in her boston finery, hair blowing wildly around her, screaming and baring down on the group like some avenging angel, wielding a large adze.

"Get back! Back off! Back off!" she yelled, sweeping the sharp tool back and forth.

The men had never seen anything like this and one even wondered if the woman running at them was actually possessed. They quickly jumped off of Sully and scattered, jumping out of the way of the crazed woman swinging the heavy tool back and forth to drive them off.

Sully quickly stumbled to his feet, and the pair took off up the street back towards the main dockyards. His wife never ceased to amaze him. They raced back out into the sunlight of the main dockyards and were almost to the main street before they stopped running and Michaela dropped the adze at their feet, collapsing against Sully.

"Come on, let's get outta here," he said, sore and out of breathe.

They quickly hailed a hansom cab and sank gratefully into the seat.

"I'm sorry, I should have listened to you," she said, out of breathe.

He wrapped his arms around her, "Na, I should have insisted we stay back," he replied. "You OK?" He tenderly wiped some black soot from her forehead, grateful they were both OK.

"Yes. Are you?" she asked.

"Yeah, just banged up a little," he smiled gently at her. "And I was worried about you..." he felt overwhelmed with love for this woman who had, once again, saved his life.


End file.
